Ballot-box



(No Model.)

J; KLING'ER.

BALLOT 30X. No. 295.560. Patented Mar. 25, 1884.

Eil il @Tarifen TaTns BATTNT Ormea.

JOSEPH KLINGER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

sALLoT-sox.

SPECIFICATION forming pari: of Letters Patent No. 295,560, dated March 25, 1884.

Application tiled January 24, 1884. (No model.)

' This invention relates to ballot-boxes inwhichwhite and black balls are used in voting; and it consists of a convenient-sized box provided with two cylindrical chambers having spiral passage-ways downward through them,

in which the balls are placed, and from the bottom of which one ball'at a time is ejected and deposited into a drawer or compartment provided for that purpose in the bottom of the aforesaid box. The balls are ejected and deposited, as stated, by means of a mechanism consisting of two gates covering the mouths of the dischargeopenings of the said spiral chambers, connected by rods attached to a tilting lever in such a manner that but one of the said gates can be operated at a time, and but one ball ejected and deposited at one time.

' The said mechanism also operates a registering device to show the number of balls deposited, and also operates a bell-signaling device simultaneously with the aforesaid 'balloting mechanism. The said mechanisms are constructed, combined, and operate as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my new ballot-box. Fig. 2is avertical section in linea" x of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a vertical section in line y y of Fig. 2.

A is a box, suitably made of wood, in the lower portion of which is provided a drawer having two compartments, comprising the receptacle for the ballots or balls, as hereinafter shown, said drawer being shut off from the upper portion of the box by a iioor or partition, a. The upper portion of said box has an offset covered by an arch, B, forming an open chamber, in which is located the knobs and a balanced lever, E, connected together bybrackets, to be operated by the hand of the operator in casting a ballot. The internal mechanism operated by these knobs will be described further on. .Within the box are made and placed two cylinders, C C, each having a spiral groove L5e for holding the balls. The lower end of each cylinder is provided with a spout, c, leading toward the front side of the box.and the mouths of said spouts are closed by sliding gates D D', connected to and operated by the said knobs. The balanced lever E is pivoted to the front of the box, underneath the arch B, and from its ends are suspended two brackets, F F. These brackets are L-shaped, and to their outer ends are suspended push-rods f f, to the upper ends of which are attached the said knobs k k, and to the lower ends of said rods ff are attached the aforesaid gates D D. Beneath the'oor of the arched chamber is placed a lever, M, which plays in a slotted frame, N, held up and supported therein bya pin, p, secured at the middle part and passed through the lower bar vof said frame N. Said pin is surrounded by a spiral spring, s, the tension of which keeps the lever up, but will allow it to be depressed. To the said lever are attached two standing rods, r r, passing up through the floor, like the rods ff to the brackets F F. Through the licor a are made two holes, near the mouths of the spouts, through which the balls are deposited, one by one, into the receptacle below.v A spring-trap,T, closes said openings and is pressed down bythe gates whenever they are forced down, thus letting the one ball drop which is in front of the gate.

The gates, as seen in Fig. 3, have their lower ends cut out large enough to let one ball pass through at once. There is also only space enough between the gate and the front wall of the box for one ball at a time to occupy it, the gate shutting off egress of balls until it is again raised.

At each side of the box is a registering device inclosed inahinged cover,U. The register consists of a numbered ribbon Wound on spools journaled in side brackets, u, the upper spool having a ratchet wheel, a', which is operated by a dog, o, on each end of the lever M. A spring, c, holds the ratchet-wheel from turning backward. To thelever M is also attached an arm,W,whicli is bent upward and slides in sockets VZ, attached to the inside of front Wall of box A. A bell-hammer, z, is pivoted to inside ments of the lever M operate the said hammer, which strikes the bell on the top of the arch every time said lever is depressefhthus giving a signal, by ringing the bell, simultaneously with each ball dropped. A spring, s2, throws the hammer aga-inst the bell as the said catch y2 slips oft' the arm y. In one oll the cylinders C are contained white balls and in the other black balls.

From the foregoing description the operations ot' this device will be seen to be as follows: The box being presented to the voter,

he places his iinger on one of the knobs witlr.

in the arch and presses down thereon, when one ball is deposited in the receptacle below by the downward movement of the gate, and the lever M is also pressed down at the same time and at the same side, moving the register one notch, and at the same time causing the hannner to strike the bell.

It will be observed that both knobs cannot be forced down at the same time, by .reason of the balanced `lever E preventing. Therefore a ball from both sides cannot possibly be dropped a't the saine time.

A hinged lid is provided to the top of the box A, l'or the purpose ol" replacing the balls in the cylinders alter the balloting is over. This may be done by taking out the drawer and pouring the balls into the top of each cylinder, as they belong.

Having described my invention, I claiml. In a ballot-box, the eoinbination,with the two cylinders C C, having spiral chambers terminating with discharge-spouts c c, of the mechanism constructed and arranged to eject and deposit one ball at a time, and the mechanism constructed and arranged to operate the register, and a mechanism constructed and arranged to operate the bellsignal simultane-v ously, as described.

2. The pivoted balance-lever E, brackets F F, supporting the rods f f, provided with the knobs kk, and carrying the gates D D', in combination with the spouts c c of said cylinders C C, and the traps T T, operating to eject and deposit the balls, substantially in the manner and i'or the purpose specified.

8. The combination, with the balancelever E, brackets F F, and rods ff, provided with knobs L' k, an d carrying gates D D', oi' the lever M. hung in the slotted frame N, and provided with pin p and spring s, and the dog o, i'or op` erating the registering device, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4:. The combinatioinwith the balaneedever E, brackets F F', and rodsfj', provided with knobs L 7.", of the lever M, hung in the slotted fra-me N, and provided with pinp and springs, and the arm IV, sliding in sockets 72, and provided with spring-eatch 1/2, operating the bell hammer e, -for sounding the bell-signal, substantially as and `l'or the purpose speeilied.

JOSEPH KLINGER.

Vitnesses:

Gno. W. Tinnrr'rs, M. G. NORTON. 

